{Lock} succeeded in holding back
the Imperial army in South Figaro...
But faced with their relentless vigilance,
he has lost his escape route...

LOCKE has worked hard to
stymie the efforts of the
Imperial troops. But now he
desperately needs to escape...

サウスフィガロの町
Town of South Figaro
SOUTH FIGARO

As the scene begins, Lock narrowly evades
being caught by one of the soldiers now blanketing the town.
1-21 "Under Martial Law" plays during the occupation.

It's possible to glitch through the soldier
patroling this exit and thus skip the events in town, by moving Lock
up while the soldier is moving down and entering the menu with
proper timing, but I can't recommend it unless you want a
challenge. Doing so skips recruiting an upcoming character,
which leaves Lock to finish this scenario on his own, then leaves
you stuck with Mogtan instead of that character for the rest of the
game. Mogtan has no skills or spells and can't learn any. Worse,
he (?) can't change equipment, even after a story event leaves
the poor creature unequipped. It gets worse later on after the story
makes the upcoming character play solo for a while, since you'll
have to pass that part with nothing but a naked moogle with subpar
stats that can't do much of anything in combat. This will also deprive
an optional character of that upcoming character's unique skill.
It's still fairly amusing regardless, just not advisable.

{ﾛｯｸ}「くっそー
早くナルシェに行かなきゃ……

{Lock}: Shit.
Gotta get to Narshe quick...

{LOCKE}: Nuts!
Gotta get to Narshe on the fly...

Lock starts this scene with all his
equipment removed. Make sure to give him some before
doing any fighting!

Losing won't actually get you a Game Over
for most of the scenario, instead dumping Lock back to where he
started.

{ﾛｯｸ}「いてて…
ふりだしにもどる……か

{Lock}: Ow, ow, ow...
Guess I'm back to square one...

{LOCKE}: Ouch!!
I gotta steal me some new clothes, fast!!

Most of the town is blocked off by soldiers too
tough to beat. The only other passage across town is blocked
by a boy who will only allow merchants through unless his grandfather
says otherwise, and the grandfather won't talk about anything except
the sake (booze) that hasn't come yet.

ぼくのおじいちゃんは昔北の家の金持ち
のめし使いをやっていたんだ。

My grandpa used to be a servant for
the rich man in the northern house.

My grandfather was a servant for the richest man in town.

でも今は商人しか通しちゃだめって
言われているんだ。

But for now I've been told not to let
anyone through but merchants.

Only people dressed as merchants may pass through.

That NA version line is painful. Not only
is it quite lacking in subtlety, it makes absolutely no sense for the
kid to admit how easily he can be fooled and even give you
pointers on how to do it. And it's far from the only modified line
that tries too hard to tell you what to do, either.

While you're here, consider getting in a
fight with at least one of those mech riders. Lock by himself can't
realistically beat the Heavy Armor
he'll end up fighting, but running
away or even losing is enough to make them appear on the Beast
Plain later. And if you're lucky, you can even steal an Iron Helm
from one, but more often than not, you'll just get a Potion. Even
completionists can skip them for now, though, since they'll show
up in a mass battle at Narshe later.

Though if you do beat a
Heavy Armor that's blocking a certain path, and take a hidden
bridge across the river, it's apparently possible to skip all the
costuming.

Realizing he needs a disguise to get
anywhere, Lock sneaks around
until...

The NA version took a bit of artistic license
on this line, but I can't say it's not amusing...

They start fighting, and Lock steals from the
Merchant,
because, well, he can. That's when things get entertaining...

ついでに服を盗んだ！！

Took the chance to steal his clothes!!

Stole his clothing, too!!

ロック
「あーら、よっと！

Lock:
Aha, gotcha!

LOCKE:
Here we go!

「ちょっと小さいけど
まあいいか

It's a bit small,
but whatever.

These are a little tight,
but the price was right.

This leaves the merchant, now dubbed
Naked, understandably
embarrassed:

ヒ、ヒィーーーー！！

E-eeeeep!!

Wh...whew!!

...and he flees combat. Lock ends up
disguised as a merchant, so he heads back to the boy.

商人さんだね？
通っていいよ。

Merchant?
You can pass.

Merchant, right?
You may proceed.

Some inside information might help,
but the soldiers won't talk to Lock. One townsperson gives
him an idea, though.

下っぱの兵はよわっちいくせに
すぐケンカをふっかけてくるんだ。
スキが多いから服まで盗めちまう。

The underling soldiers are quick to pick fights
in spite of what wusses they are. They're so
careless you could even steal their clothes.

Lower ranking soldiers like to brawl. Try humiliating them by stealing their clothes!

Incidentally, that's the only
hint about stealing a disguise in the Japanese version, other than
the fact that Lock can and should try stealing regardless.

Sure enough, bored
Junior Soldiers
in several places are itching for a fight...

何だお前は！
帰った帰った！！

What's your problem!?
Go home already!!

Scram, you blockhead.

Lock, of course, takes advantage of the
situation to steal a uniform, with similar theatrics.

ちょっと大きめ
しょうがないか

It's a bit on the large side,
but I guess it can't be helped.

These are a little too big,
but they'll do.

Now that he's in an Imperial uniform, the soldiers,
most of them drinking in the bar, will talk to Lock candidly.

あの有名な女将軍が帝国を裏切った
らしいぜ。
この町のどこかに閉じ込められて
いるって話だぜ。

I head that famous woman
general betrayed the Empire.
Word is she's locked up
somewhere in this town.

I heard they grabbed a famous
general who turned traitor!
She's locked up somewhere in
this town.

しまった！
北のやしきの地下の抜け道の見張り
の時間だ。
え～い いいや。
ここまできたらやめらんねえ。

Dammit!
It's time to guard the secret underground
passage in the northern mansion.
Eh, screw it.
It's too late to stop now.

Never a dull moment...
Time to guard the passage under the big mansion...
Oh, well.
Life is tough...

I think he means there's no reason to
stop drinking if he's already late anyway.

北のやしきには２つ抜け道があるって
聞いたぜ。
１つは町の外へ、もう一つはどっかの
家だって。

I've heard the northern mansion
has two secret passages.
One goes out of town, the other
to a house somewhere.

I heard there are 2 secret
tunnels under the rich man's house.
One leads out of town, the
other to one of these houses...

今ごろは別動隊がナルシェに
向かっているはず。
すぐ合流するぞ。

Around now a detached force
should be heading for Narshe.
We'll join up with them soon.

A detached force is making its way toward Narshe.
We'll link up with them soon.

ケフカのヤロウが
そろそろナルシェを攻撃するころだな。
もっとも目の前ではケフカさま……
としか呼べないがな。

That Cefca scumbag's about
to attack Narshe. Of course,
to his face, it's Cefca-sama...
Can't call him anything else.

That clown, Kefka, is on the
verge of invading Narshe.

One soldier outside mistakes Lock
for his relief and heads for the bar.

時間か？
すまんな。

It's time?
Thanks.

Time's up?
Good! I'll take a break!

With more freedom to move about and
information about a secret passage out of town, Lock sees a chance to
escape. The news about the traitorous general could be important too.
But first, he needs to change disguises to interact freely with the citizens.
Fortunately, there's paranoid merchant who'll do just fine...

なんでい？
おれの酒を盗みに来たのか？

What the?
You here to steal my sake?

Hey you!
Come to steal my cider?

え～い こそどろめ。

Grrrr, you damn sneak-thief.

You thief!

After the usual clothes-grabbing, Lock decides the
sake will come in handy, and takes that too. That old man who was a servant at the
northern mansion might know something, and this is more likely than anything to
get him talking...

おー酒じゃ。
グビッ グビッ
ん？抜け道を知りたいじゃと？
うむ、確かに北のやしきには秘密の地下
道があるはずじゃ。

Ohh, sake.
*gulp*, *gulp*
Hm? You want to find an escape route?
Hmm, yes, the northern mansion should
have a secret underground path.

Ah! Cider!
Glug, glug, ...
Huh? Secret passage?
Well, there is one that leads to the rich man's house.

Lock goes through, emerging inside the
northern mansion. The army seems to be using it as headquarters,
but they ignore Lock. Now that the Empire has actually invaded,
the traitorous owner at least displays some remorse, but it's a bit
late for that.

ああ、私はなんて事をして
しまったんだ……
金に目がくらんで帝国に情報を流して
しまうなんて。

Oh, what have I done...?
How could I have been so blinded by money
that I leaked information to the Empire?

Oh, what have I done?!
I betrayed the town, and I didn't even need the money!

The secret passage out of town should be
around somewhere, and it's likely that the renegade general is too.
Exploring the house carefully, Lock finds a concealed staircase on
the top floor that goes all the way to the basement. If he's still in
disguise, he has the option of changing back to his usual outfit at
this point:

（変装をとるか？）
（この格好も気に入ったな。）

(Take my disguise off?)
(I kinda like this look.)

(Change clothes?)
(These are fine.)

Continue straight down into the wall to find
another hidden staircase leading to a small treasure room with
the Hermes's Shoes and Hyper Wrist accessories. Actually, you
can (and should) collect these your first time through town earlier,
but it fits better here plotwise.

Lock hears an odd noise from a side room,
and carefully peers through an opening in the door...

{ﾛｯｸ}「あいつ
見たことがある……
帝国の将軍……たしか…

{Lock}: I've seen her before...
If I'm right... she's an Imperial general...

{LOCKE}: I've seen her before...
Of course! She's one of the
Empire's generals!

Two soldiers stand inside the room.
One is repeatedly striking the woman who was at Gastra's speech in
Tina's flashback. She wears a green outfit and white cape. Her blond
hair, bound only by a blue hairband around the back of her head, falls
to about the middle of her back (fanart tends to prefer a normal cloth
all-the-way-around headband, but both Amano's art and the in-game
sprites and character portrait suggest something fancier that does
not extend to the front of her head). Despite her situation, she
maintains an air of dignity. The soldiers start gloating.

「裏切り者はこうなるんだ！

: This is what becomes of traitors!

GUARD: This's what happens to traitors!

帝国の英才教育によって人工的に
うみ出された魔導戦士
いくたの戦を切り抜けてきた将軍の
女としての素顔を見た者は誰もいない

A Battle Sorceress produced artificially
through Imperial Special Education.
None have looked upon the true self as a woman
of this general who has fought countless battles.

Product of genetic engineering,
battle-hardened Magitek
Knight, with a spirit as
pure as snow...

Interestingly, this introduction parallels
Shadow's, with the mention of an unseen true self.

{Celes}: But not, I think, so far as you,
who trample the weak by force...
: What!

{CELES}: How can you serve those cowards...
GUARD: Hold your tongue!

Celes is speaking with a somewhat
masculine edge to her tone, and continues to do so for quite
some time...

{ｾﾘｽ}「ケフカは東方の国
ドマを毒を用いて皆殺しにする計画を
しているそうじゃないか
「うるさい！

{Celes}: Didn't I hear Cefca is planning
on using poison to massacre the
eastern country of Doma?
: Shut up!

{CELES}: Isn't it true Kefka's going to poison the people of Doma, to the east?
GUARD: Shuddap!

He hits her again,
hard enough that she collapses.

「チッ。明日はどうせ処刑されるんだ。
今のうちにへらず口を
たたいてるんだな！

: Tch. You'll be executed tomorrow anyway.
Run your mouth off now
while you still can!

GUARD: I'd hate to be in your shoes tomorrow!

しっかり見はれよ！

Keep a close watch on her!

Keep a close eye on her!

ハッ！三日三晩、眠らずに見はります！

Sir! I could stand guard three days
and nights without sleep!

Yes, Sir!
I can go for days without sleep!

The ranking guard exits. If dressed as an
Imperial soldier, Lock stands by the door and salutes. Otherwise,
he watches from a ceiling beam, then hops down when the coast
is clear. Either way, he heads into the room. Despite his boast,
the remaining guard is already asleep. Lock checks on Celes
and is faced with a choice:

（クサリをはずしてやるか）
（このままながめてるのもいいか）

(Guess I'll remove her chains)
(Maybe I'll just keep taking in the view)

(Remove her chains?)
(Wait a few minutes.)

Well...? You ARE going to release her, right?

If Lock is dressed as himself...

{ｾﾘｽ}「お前は…

{Celes}: You're...?

{CELES}: And you are...

If Lock is dressed as a merchant...

{ｾﾘｽ}「こんな所まで押し売り？
{ﾛｯｸ}「おっとこんな格好で失礼。

{Celes}: Pushing your wares in a place like this?
{Lock}: Whoops, sorry about the getup.

{CELES}: What do you hope to peddle down here?
{LOCKE}: Oops! Forgot I was wearing these clothes.

If Lock is dressed as an Imperial soldier...

{ｾﾘｽ}「兵士にしてはずいぶん
せが低いわね。
{ﾛｯｸ}「おっと、ユニフォームを
着てたんだっけ。

{Celes}: You're awfully short
for a soldier.
{Lock}: Whoops, forgot I was
wearing a uniform.

{CELES}: You're awfully short for a soldier.
{LOCKE}: Oh, I forgot I was wearing a uniform!

Celes's line comes across as slightly odd,
because she's suddenly talking more femininely. Maybe it's an oversight,
maybe the sarcastic tone negates that, or maybe... Well, the above
exchange is quite similar to the scene in which Luke meets Leia in
Star Wars (though certainly not identical in either
English or Japanese). Maybe coincidence, but probably not,
especially given the various other references.

{ﾛｯｸ}「リターナーにくみする者。
{ロック}。
{ｾﾘｽ}「リターナー！そうか…
私は{セリス}将軍…だった…
今はただの裏切り者。

{Lock}: I'm {Lock},
with the Returners.
{Celes}: Returners! I see...
I'm General {Celes}... or was...
Now I'm just a traitor.

{LOCKE}: I'm with the Returners. Name's {LOCKE}.
{CELES}: Returners!!! I used to be General {CELES}...
Now I'm just a common traitor...

{ﾛｯｸ}「行くぞ！
{ｾﾘｽ}「！？ 私を連れてか？

{Lock}: Let's go!
{Celes}: !? You're taking me with you?

{LOCKE}: Let's go!
{CELES}: !? You'd take me along?

{ｾﾘｽ}「いいや無理だ。
走ることができない…

{Celes}: Don't bother, it's no good.
I can't even run...

{CELES}: Thanks, but no thanks. I can barely walk...

{ｾﾘｽ}「ありがとう…
だが、かりにお前が私を連れ出しても
守りきれるはずがない…
それならば
ここでいさぎよく死をむかえたほうが

{Celes}: Thanks...
But even if you DID get me out, you'd never
be able to protect me the whole way...
In that case, bravely facing
death here is more my—

{CELES}: I'm grateful, but...
Even if you got me out, you'd never be able to protect me.
No, I think I'm better off here.

Lock cuts her off.

{ﾛｯｸ}「守る！

{Lock}: I'll protect you!

{LOCKE}: I'll protect you!

{ﾛｯｸ}「俺が守ってみせる！

{Lock}: I swear I'll protect you!

{LOCKE}: Trust me! You'll be fine!

He winks at her, and walks toward the door.

{ﾛｯｸ}「行くぞ！

{Lock}: Let's go!

{LOCKE}: Let's go!

{ｾﾘｽ}「待て。

{Celes}: Wait.

{CELES}: Wait.

{ｾﾘｽ}「脱出に役立つ物を
この兵士が持っているかも。

{Celes}: This solder might have something
that will help in our escape.

{CELES}: This soldier has something important on him...

The soldier is a fairly restless sleeper,
and seems to be obsessed with food.

兵士「ハヤシライスも……

Soldier: And hashed beef with rice...

SOLDIER: ...more soup...'n...

兵士「カレーライスがたべたい
むにゃ むにゃ ……

Soldier: Wanna eat some curry and rice.
mumble mumble ......

SOLDIER: ...'n some bread, too...
Mumble Mumble...

But a quick search turns up a key to wind clocks.

Celes, like Tina, has MP and can cast a few
basic spells, but with a specialty in Ice rather
than Flame, and in the long run she gets
more in the way of status-affecting magic, in contrast with Tina's tendency
toward more straightforward offensive and recovery spells. Other than that,
and her special battle command (which I'll cover when the game does),
she handles quite similarly in combat.

In the next room, there's an old clock that
isn't running. Winding the clock reveals another secret passage.
Equipment for Celes is scattered around the passage (though
you should give her anything you have handy ahead of time),
but Imperial Commanders
and Vector Hounds guard
the area.

There's also yet another hidden treasure
room somewhere around the middle of the area. Once inside,
search the bottom of the room for a Ribbon, in addition to the
more obvious items.

Fairly soon, they reach the far end, on the
edge of town.

{ｾﾘｽ}「どうして私を守ると……？
{ﾛｯｸ}「似てるんだ……

{Celes}: Why say you'll protect me...?
{Lock}: You resemble...

{CELES}: Why are you helping me?
{LOCKE}: You remind me of someone...

{ﾛｯｸ}「いや、なんでもない。
俺自身のためさ。

{Lock}: No, it's nothing.
I'm doing it for my own sake.

{LOCKE}: But what's it matter, anyway?
I just want to, okay?!

With that rather cryptic remark,
they leave town.

Escape from South Figaro

"Under Martial Law" continues
playing even on the world map, until they enter the cave that leads
back towards Narshe, where "The Phantom Forest"
plays as usual. The monsters have been replaced with stronger
ones, and there's also a strange rumbling noise every so often...

Additionally, any chests not opened
earlier have different contents if opened now. However, if you
save them until after the Major Plot Spoiler, two of the three will
improve their contents yet again, though the third doesn't
change any more.

Lock eventually feels the need to comment.

{ﾛｯｸ}「さっきから何の音だ？

{Lock}: What's that noise I keep hearing?

{LOCKE}: What IS that noise?

Just as they're about to go out the other exit,
the rumbling gets worse, and closer.

You guessed it, it's another boss battle,
with even more in-battle conversation...!

{セリス}
「ディッグアーマーだ！
コイツの魔法をあびれば、
あとかたもないはず！！

{Celes}:
Dig Armor!
Getting hit by its magic is
supposed to obliterate you!!

{CELES}:
TunnelArmr!!
I'll draw it's magic attack.
It won't hurt us.

{ロック}
「どうすりゃいい？

{Lock}:
What should we do?

{LOCKE}:
Come again?!

{セリス}
「魔法は、まふうけんで、私が
ひきよせる！

{Celes}:
I'll draw off the magic with
Magicseal Sword!

{CELES}:
I can simply absorb the
attack with my Runic Blade.

{ロック}
「そんなことして、
だいじょうぶなのか？

{Lock}:
Will you be okay, doing
something like that?

{LOCKE}:
Are you sure you'll be okay?!

{セリス}
「まあ、みていなさい！！

{Celes}:
Watch and you'll see!!

{CELES}:
Just you watch!!

For those who hadn't guessed, Celes's combat
ability is Magicseal Sword, which allows her to negate most magic
(in short; see her character entry for
details). Possibly the game's most situational ability, it comes in
handy against the Dig Armor,
which uses magic attacks more often than not. With Lock on offense,
it should soon fall. Lock can steal an Air Knife (common) or
Bio Blast (rare), and it drops an Elixir for your troubles.

Alternately, using the Thunder Rod found
in one of the chests in the cave (if said chest wasn't opened earlier)
will finish it off in one hit, guaranteed, except at abnormally low levels
(under 8 for Lock or under 6 for Celes), though it may do more
good later if attempting a low-level challenge.

{ﾛｯｸ}「ふう、やっと
ふりきれたようだな。

{Lock}: Whew, looks like we
finally shook them off.

{LOCKE}: Whew!!!
Looks like we're in the clear!

The music fades out. Cut back to the black room,
with the remaining scenarios, unless all are complete.